The European Commission is stepping up efforts to bolster the security of Europe’s telecommunications networks by urging member states to phase out equipment from vendors such as Chinese tech giants Huawei and ZTE from its 5G and next-gen networks, Bloomberg reported, citing anonymous sources.
The EC had in 2020 recommended that member nations stop using tech from “high-risk” vendors like Huawei and ZTE, and now its vice president, Henna Virkkunen, is pushing to turn that recommendation into regulation, Bloomberg reported.
Virkkunen’s proposal could push EU countries to follow the Commission’s security guidance more closely. If the recommendations become legally binding, member states that ignore the rules might face infringement procedures and even financial penalties, the report said. Virkkunen is looking at limiting Chinese vendors’ involvement in fiber network projects amid a push for faster broadband rollout.
Huawei and ZTE did not respond to requests for comment.
The move comes amid a broader effort to limit China’s influence in key infrastructure as EU’s ties fray with the world’s second-largest economy. Last year, Germany’s top security official said that, starting in 2026, the country would prohibit the use of key components from Chinese firms ZTE and Huawei. In addition, Finland reportedly plans to broaden the scope of its ban on the use of Huawei components in 5G networks.
In recent years, the U.S. has persuaded European allies like the U.K. and Sweden to restrict or ban Huawei gear over concerns that Beijing could exploit it for cyber-espionage or disrupt critical communications.
